Since the late 1990s, the “bleacher creatures” who occupy the outfield seats at Yankee Stadium, do what is known as the “roll call.” All season, fans in the bleachers chant the names of whoever is in the starting lineup for the Yankees during that game. The creatures chant the name of that player until they respond. Recently when the Rangers were taking on the Anaheim Angels at Globe Life Park, Texas fans could be heard doing the Yankees roll call. My advice to Rangers fans is to knock it off and get your own game-day tradition, it’s not yours.
It’s Been Awhile Since The Texas Rangers Were Relevant
Embed from Getty ImagesGiven the sad history of the Texas Rangers, their fans have never really had any traditions. In the Rangers 61 seasons of existence, they’ve only gone to the postseason eight times. Although Texas won American League Pennant in consecutive years in 2010 and 2011, Texas failed to win the World Series. Everyone remembers the excruciating heartbreak that the 2011 World Series brought the Rangers and their fans.
Recently, the Rangers have spent the past seven seasons rebuilding. For the first time since the 2016 season, the Texas Rangers are playing meaningful baseball. Surprisingly, they’ve been in first place ahead of the universally hated Houston Astros for most of the season. Being ahead of Houston should in theory make them the darlings of baseball this year.
The Roll Call Is For The Yankees Only
It is believed that the roll call began at Yankee Stadium in the late 1990s. Out of all traditions, this is the most distinguished one and a staple of the fan experience at Yankee Stadium. Today, the players often ignore the fans; it’s great that the bleachers can get a response from their on-field heroes. The roll call is exclusively associated with the Yankees and nobody else.
I get the Yankees are having a poor year and probably won’t make it to the postseason. However, just because the Yankees aren’t going to be playing meaningful baseball, doesn’t anybody should steal their traditions; especially given the fact that your team is relevant for the first time in seven years. By comparison, the Yankees have almost as many playoff appearances as the Rangers do in missed postseasons.
Get Your Own Traditions Rangers Fans!
Embed from Getty ImagesMy advice to Rangers fans is to come up with your own traditions. I love a good rowdy atmosphere but not at the expense of stealing another team’s staple. Has your baseball franchise in North Texas been so irrelevant that you just ignore them while counting down until football season? Have Rangers fans from previous generations failed to give you something fun to do aside from watching the play on the field? Evidently, Rangers fans creating their own traditions is foreign to them. I guess a team lacks tradition when most of their history doesn’t involve success.
The Roll Call Will Always Be A Yankee Thing ONLY
The “roll call” is a Yankee thing and always will be. Just because the Yankees probably won’t be playing meaningful baseball doesn’t give Rangers fans permission to steal from them. If Rangers fans need to copy a Yankee tradition, then evidently, they’ve been spending too much time waiting for football season. Come up with your own tradition and be creative! Didn’t your parents or guardians teach you that stealing is wrong? Some things must be untouched and the Yankees roll call is one of them. They say everything is bigger in Texas but creativity isn’t one of those things.
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